The little secret that wasn’t such a secret cause I showed you was that I never painted the cabinet side of the island:

I was soooo sceered! I don’t know why, I just didn’t want to touch them! I love our pretty cabinets, and it gave me hives to think of painting this side.

So they stayed like that. For another year and four months. :) More on that in a bit.

When I started my kitchen redo with the help of American Express and their lovely points (whoohoo!) I mentioned I was considering either painting the island a light cream color or a pretty apple green to go with the new lighter tones of the room. I primed the island to see how I liked the lighter, cream idea and it didn’t look right. So I decided to go with the apple green -- it sounded like such a fun idea!!

(Enter foreboding music here.)

I painted that island apple green, and it was a total and complete disaster. It was one of those where you say you just need time to “get used to it” when you really just need time to stop hyperventilating at all the time you just flushed down the toilet. ;)

It was SO bright! OH. my. goodness., it was screaming apple green. The way the light hit it made it completely obnoxious. So I mixed some black into the green to darken it a bit, and painted…again.

It was better! It was growing on me! And then the evening light hit…and it was a disaster all over again. I played the whole, I’ll get use to it (pleeease?) game some more and realized by about 8 p.m. that it wasn’t going to fly. And I looked at the cabinet side of our island and realized something really important – there was NO way on God’s (apple) green earth that I was going to be able to paint our lovely cabinets that color.

I wish I could express to you how wrong the green island looked in our kitchen. (I took pictures with my phone but I’ve since updated to a new one and they didn’t transfer!) If we lived in a beach house – adorable. In a funky, colorful house, perfect. In our traditional house full of warm colors – just wrong. ;) I’m sure it was the tone of that color I picked out that made it look so goofy, but I wasn’t going to try any more. I was done.

So…guess what? I painted. Again. Oh yeah, and again – two coats back to black. It was not a good day around here. ;)

I wanted to (finally) get this island project wrapped up, so last week I got my booty moving on the butcher block top I bought months ago at Ikea. It had been leaning in the garage, unopened, for all that time. (I told you I was highly unmotivated this summer!)

I did some checking around and found a woodworking company that would be able to cut it down to the right size for me. I had a chance to look around their shop a bit, and when I saw the beautiful routered edges they could add to it, my mind started racing. :)

The owner said they could cut it down and router the edge I picked out for $100 – YES PLEASE! I was SO excited when I picked it up last week because this (Numerar Ikea counter for $195):

Was turned into this:

Be still my thrifty little heart.

I was so excited, I installed it that day. I just unscrewed the screws underneath the previous countertop and pulled it off:

When the new top was laid on top, I just screwed them back in, with a couple extra for good measure.

My original plan was to sand down the block and stain it a very deep stain, then poly over the top of it. YUM. But when I saw it in our kitchen, I realized the potential for a really warm, natural looking butcher block instead.

Ikea treats their wood, but you need to do more when you get them installed. I started by sanding it down very lightly, then I did three coats of boiled linseed oil:

You just wipe it on with a white cloth and watch the magic happen. ;) We are not going to use the butcher block as a cutting surface, but linseed oil is perfect if you are planning to do so. It is food safe once it dries.

Because I didn’t want to freak out every time someone put a glass on the island, I also protected it with two coats of tung oil:

From what my Dad told me, the Chinese have used tung oil for about 600 years (give or take a few) on their boat hulls – and if it works for them, it works for me. :)

It gave it an absolutely gorgeous amber finish:

It is just beautiful. And no worries about the everyday stuff that happens in a kitchen!:

If there’s ever any damage to the top, it will be easy to sand it down lightly and reapply the oil. I will probably do a few more coats of the tung oil for an extra strong finish.

To finish off the beadboard, I installed some very thin molding around the top:

The top edges of the beadboad weren’t uneven, but it always looked a little unfinished to me.

I found a fabric I lurve at Calico Corners for the chairs:

I upholstered right over the old fabric that I showed you here. I love the slightly contemporary look of the fabric combined with the more traditional island.

And I was (almost) done! THEN, I finally painted the cabinets on the other side of the island. And all was right with the world. Two years and four months later. Good grief.

I present to you our completed, never touching it ever again for as long as I live, island:

I did a photo shoot with it from all angles, Austin Powers style…yeah, baby…YEAH!:

I want to curl up and take a nap on it, I love it so very much. Really. Night night:

Because I’m a sucker for before and after shots, here’s the before, a couple of years ago:

And today:

The I’m shaking in my boots to paint the cabinets before:

And the why didn’t I do this two years ago after:

Total breakdown for the transformation was as follows (over the past two years):

- About $50 for the beadboard, I think? Another $20 or so for the baseboards and skinny trim around the top. - $10 for black paint. Lasted all eleventy billion times I painted it. - $18 for two corbels from Home Depot. - Chairs were from Garden Ridge, buy one get one half off – about $100. - Less than $10 in fabric to cover the chairs. - $195 for butcher block (I had to get a larger size) from Ikea – looks like it’s even less now! - $100 to have the block cut and routered. - About $20 for oils, foam brushes, etc. (I had some, had to buy some.)

Oh yeah, did I mention I got a quote of $1,300 for a very similar butcher block countertop from the company Home Depot uses? I saved one thousand buckaroos and it looks pretty darn good! I am SO happy with it, and it was so (grumble) worth (grumble) all the work!

P.S. I’ll show you how I painted the cabinets soon – and what I did that you should NOT. :)

You give me ooohhhh sooo much hope. What a fabulous island. One day I hope to be able to look at something so basic and turn it into something amazing. By the way, I read your No More Mondays post the other day and felt SO INSPIRED! That is now what my fiance and I say when we're feeling overwhelmed by our 9-5s. It's like our motto lol!

I am so glad to know I am not alone. I have been debating on painting my dining table and chairs and my hutch. I had envisioned all kinds of fun stuff too but my house has colors like yours and I didn't think it would work. I just posted about some changing up in the dining area that is open to the kitchen and left the dining set alone. I do want to paint my built in hutch and I have been leaning towards black and even have the paint. Your island has helped convince me on that paint job. I am glad you now love your island. I love it too.

It looks amazing! I wish we could have seen pics of the apple green. I can't even imagine what you were thinking; apple green may be trendy, but it does not belong in your kitchen! I love the black. It's so you!

Onto my next question...that cloche. It is killing me I love it SO MUCH. If you E-VER want to sell it I will buy it. Put my name down as dibs. I will pay big money. Honestly. My covetousness is going to get me sent to a dark place. So there...calling dibs. No sending that cloche to Goodwill or something. OK?

LOVE IT! When I am finally done with my island, it will look very similar. I am using an old dresser and the top to a table(so the edges are already routed similar to yours). I can't wait to start on it, one of these years. LOL.

The island looks great. I can relate. I painted mine a bright green and worked for days on a distressed finish. Ended up changing it completely to black. :) Classic beautiful black. Love the wood and I think the finished edge makes all the difference. It doesn't look like a cheap butcher block from Ikea. It looks rockin'!

Everything you do is so doggone gorgeous and elegant. If I had a sister I would want her to be you. You'd have to be my big sister, though, because I couldn't have a punky little sister showing me up like this all the time. Also? You would definitely be mom's favorite.

Beautiful! I love how you paid attention to the details of a great edge on the butcher top and the trim around the bottom of your island too! I know how you feel about painting the island a color and realizing you "can't" live with it. I've been there before too! LOL! I love the black!

Love the "new" kitchen! And that island is great!!! It gives me hope for ours... yeah it resembles your old one far too closely!!!

Quick question on the tung oil... Are you using tung oil or tung oil finish? We have one of the butcher block tables from Ikea and I really need to finish it. So far we've just been using a mineral oil. I know that the Formby's Tung oil finish has additives to it, not just tung oil (hardeners, etc...) If you used the Formby's finish, did you apply it in the house? Were the fumes bad? (I have a horrible sensitivity to fumes... makes me ill, violently!!)

I think I foresee another trip to Ikea... Thanks!!! (I really do LOVE your kitchen!)

That first picture of the counter edge cut was a little scary with the edge looking a little different. But the oil is just wonderful isn't it? Just blends it all together and gives it such a nice sheen. Love it! I think the fabric on the chairs is just the right amount of apple green too. Beautiful!

Just beautiful...black is always in style. Like you, when I step out of the box, I know right away whether it will work for me and I might as well get busy making adjustments.lol....Enjoy your blog so much!

Wow, I'm going through the same thing with my kitchen island. I had to laugh when I saw your post. I just painted my kitchen island white it took me foreva to get over my fear of painting over my beautiful cabinets but I love it. I ordered a chocolate bamboo countertop and it took 3 months for it to be delivered and now I'm waiting for a contractor to return my calls to install the countertop. I've been talking about this project for years and I'm so close to finishing it. You're island looks awesome!

Thanks for sharing the roller coaster ride you took with us on this project. LOVE the black! I know you have another project up your sleeve to reuse the old counter top, perhaps in the basement????? Can't wait to see what you do next! Jules

It is gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You women of the blogs are my motivation every day when I start my day off reading your projects!!

F.Y.I.-I am still learning about refinishing products and caught a very informative but scary story on some news program a few weeks ago about the storage of linseed oil..please check it out. I think it was good morning america or something like that.

Have to ask...did you have to degloss the cabinets before you painted them? I SO want to paint my "standard builder" oak cabinets (probably to white or ivory), but am rather intimidated by the whole thing!

I'm loving how sharp the black paint makes that island look! The cabinets are awesome & the butcher block is pure perfection. I'd never want to set a thing on it ;-P LOVE the whole room! Beautiful job!

Heck yeah girlie!! That looks AMAZING!! Your hard work shows. That is a fabulous island. I love all the little touches like the molding and the chair fabric. The color of the butcher block and cabinets is perfection. Awesome job :)

Okay...where's the apple green? I know you have a picture of it hidden somewhere. I know what you mean about painters remorse. I just repainted my kitchen cabinets and when I looked at them last night...they looked kinda drab. The color is sagey. Good thing my kitchen is large! I'm in that "I'll probably get used to it stage right now."

Bravo!!! Who knew that a butcher block countertop from Ikea could look like that...looove the new edge on it! I have been considering dolling up my kitchen island...I am now officially...inspired!:) Thanks!

Looks amazing. I also did a butcher block counter in my kitchen. For any readers looking to "shop around" I bought mine at lumber liquidators - also for a song... I used watco oil to get the color I wanted, then sealed it with beeswax. Looks great, sealed well, and smelled heavenly.

Wow! This island just keeps getting better! I thought I LOVED it befor in the black with the stone top, but this is super awesome! I am still planning on doing the black beadboard on mine...and my husband has you to thank..;)Thanks for all the wonderful ideas! I am a newbie blogger, and I am inspired by all your ideas.Please stop by my blog sometime to give me some constructive critisism.

YEA....and I still have something I tore apart on my island back for Melissa's Procrastinator's party..um...two years ago, I believe. :) This looks AMAZING!! I painted my builder white laminate island turquoise just for fun and love it, but was holding out to find a slab of seconds granite. Hm...your butches block is awesome. May have to think about that.

What PERFECT timing for this post! We're in the process of moving, which means another total overhaul...and until we can afford the kitchen redo of our dreams, we're going to rip the terrible white tile off the counter tops and replace it with butcher block. The problem is, we didn't know how much you could change the color of butcher block or how to do it at all. We like to darker colored wood and I'm thinking that from your post we can make it darker?!

I LOVE this! I actually have that butcher block from Ikea because I got a standing kitchen island from them (that I use for extra counter space in my tiny apartment). I read that it was treated so I built it and figured everything was great. WRONG. I now have water marks in rings and splatter. You've given me great insight on sanding that thing down to finish it and what to use since I am going to be using it as a butcher block. So, thanks!

So pretty I love love love it. The fabric is wonderful with the black and it looks so custom, im sure it added tons of value. I want to paint my kitchen cabinets sooooo bad but I am soooooo scared. Cant wait to see what process you used to paint.

This is so freaking beautiful! I love it! And oddly enough my dad has been harping on me since I started the blog that I ought to be using Tung oil! :) Glad to see the finish is as beautiful as I have been told!

I think this has to be my favorite re-do that you've done to date. SERIOUSLY good. That countertop is killing me, and once again I'm pissed OFF that we don't have an IKEA in driving distance. Did you order yours, or get it at a store?

If your in the Utah area, next time around i-d-a ran it through the router saw for you for free and it only would-a took a second! Nice job though, I'm totally jealous, I hate laminate counters...but they aren't a budget busters, so I'll live!

I really think you should prime it again, paint it green, then black, then remove the paint from the front of the cabinets and paint them green and then black again. No, really, amazing job! Just looks so beautiful!

I love this redo!! I know exactly how you feel with painting over cabinets..i am struggling with the same delima currently....Great job and maybe on my blog-my kitchen redo paint job will show up soon thanks to you!!chris from midwest cottage and finds

Holy, moly... the island is amazing. Love your counter stools, too. Bt the way, you are not alone in painting and repainting a project over a span of several months until it finally turns out the way you want it. :)

I won't lie, I about had a stroke when you said you painted it apple green (I'm a total 'fraidy cat when it comes to permenant(ish?) color). BUT, regardless it looks AWESOME and I'm totally drooling over your island countertop. LOVE!!!

GREAT JOB! I really want to paint my kitchen cabinets but am scared to do it so I would love to know the steps you took. Sand or not sand, type of primer, type/sheen of paint. Very impressed with the butcher block from Ikea and getting the edges rounded.

This is gorg! You have inspired me to consider butcher block for my kitchen island. It's tile (read=can't get the grout clean) and I hate it! This butcher block is way cheaper than granite and looks great!

Congrats on your new kitchen island Sarah! Looks so good, much much much improvement from the first look. Totally love the butcher block from IKEA, really compliments your beautiful hardwood floors and cabinets. You made this renovation sound so easy, thanks for the inspiration!

Yay, yay, Yay! You are going to show how you painted the cabinets! I have been dying to paint all my kitchen cabinets but have been way scared. I'm so going to do it after you show me how! No pressure though. PS, I lurk around these parts daily. I love your blog!

THANK YOU for posting this!! I've been wanting to build myself an island but was stumped about what to do for a counter. I had looked at Ikea's counters but didn't think much of them... until now! I think my parents have a router that can do something like that! It turned out so beautifully!

That looks sooooo beautiful!! I feel so much better now knowing Iam not the only one to start a project and then go off and start another one before finishing the first!;) I have been working on our island now for two months. Ha!

I love the beadboard that you added - that took your island to the next level - and the countertop, routed, is a beauty in itself - lovely! I painted my island black as well and left remained cab's stained - love it more every day. Wish I could have seen the green's you were talking about - I'm seeing greens alot more used as a netural color....

Hey, great job on those Kitchen Cabinets. It's amazing what a coat of paint will do. I think if more people were brave like you, they would have beautiful homes and save a ton of money. There's really no reason to be afraid to try.

I am so glad to see pictures of your whole kitchen. I was just contemplating putting oil rubbed bronze knobs on my cabinets but was wondering if it would be to dark against my cherry cabinets and now I see it won't. I don't have an island but I have a raised breakfast bar and I would love to do something on the bar side. Your beadboard idea has really helped me.

I'm just like you...I would have dreaded to paint over beautiful cabinets! But, oh, how did it pay off!!! That is one of the most beautiful islands I have ever seen!! Thank you for taking us with you!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that butcher block top, and am thinking of doing the same to mine now!!

I love your kitchen. I just designed my kitchen redo and it is almost an extact match! I can't believe I found your blog today. I am so excited to show all your beautiful work to my husband and for us to get busy! I was wondering which type of wood you used for your butcher block? My closest Ikea only has birch instock.

I love the fact that u painted your cabinet a dark color, my husband recently started on making my much wanted eat -in island. He added some plywood to the back of a Home Depot med. oak 30" base cabinet so that the kids wouldn't kick a hole thru that flimsy back. But I'm worried about him staining it to match the doors. I would much rather sand and paint the whole base a dark color, but I am very cautious about that because it is all laminated. Could use some tips on that please!! By the way, I love your style!!

I'm from the indy area and was wondering the name of the company that cut and finished your butcher block counter top. I've been wanting to redo my builder grade island, and you have inspired me... Ikea here I come!!